Read Online Heart's Safe Passage by Laurie Alice Eakes - Free Book Online
Authors: Laurie Alice Eakes
Ads: Link
ashore.”
“Lucky dog,” Phoebe muttered.
At that moment, with Docherty’s kindness still radiating around her, slipping out of the stern windows and swimming ashore sounded like a fine idea and the only way to make up for her horrendous behavior. Unless scrubbing decks or cooking meals for the crew would serve better.
Or staying aboard to tend to Belinda, regardless of the fact it made her a traitor to her country.
God, what would You have me do?
More shame burned through her. She’d acted without praying, had taken the human way to obtain their freedom. Not the first time she’d done something so foolish. This time, the results weren’t half as bad—yet.
Maybe she could simply slither under the table until he departed. Better yet, ask to spend the voyage in the hold unless Bel needed her so she didn’t have to look at him.
Outrage, anguish, a hint of despair clawed at her belly. Phoebe drew her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them.
In front of her, a hand on the lad’s shoulder, Docherty spun him to the door. “Scoot.”
“Aye, Captain.” Mel trudged from the cabin.
Docherty turned back to Phoebe and held out his hand. “The key.”
“It’s still in the lock.” Fatigue washed over and through Phoebe. Speaking seemed like too much of an effort. She put her head down on her knees and closed her eyes. “Just let me get wherever you want me below and let me sleep.”
“I’ll let you sleep here.” The lock to the weapons snicked closed.
“You forgot the dagger,” Belinda said.
“Aye, so I did.” He returned to Phoebe’s side of the cabin, taking up the open space, filling it with his scent, with his heat.
Phoebe tightened her arms around her knees.
“The storm is abating.” Docherty spoke right above her. “You should rest easy now, but there’s more of the ginger water on the desk, should you be needing it.”
Phoebe managed a muttered, “Thank you.”
For what felt like forever, he didn’t move away, then suddenly, the cabin felt larger, colder, and the door latch clicked. The lock grated.
“God is certainly smiling on you tonight.” Belinda joined Phoebe on the window seat. “The captain could have stopped you in a moment.”
Phoebe nodded. Of course he could have. He’d been toying with her, letting her think she controlled the moment. Of course she hadn’t. She couldn’t have hurt him. Not once had he been in real danger from her, and he knew it. All she’d done was make a fool of herself.
And she was completely in his control, locked in like a prisoner, sequestered with Belinda. Phoebe was at her beck and call too. Nothing forced Phoebe to do her sister-in-law’s bidding. Experience told Phoebe that giving in turned out easier than living with the consequences of refusal.
Oh, she was going to need that ginger water. Though the waves no longer felt like the brig sailed through the peaks and valleys of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the cabin door remained firmly in place, and her stomach began to flip and churn again.
She rose and took the tankard from the desk. “Go to bed, Belinda. You need your rest.”
“I am tired.” Belinda stumbled to the bunk and slipped beneath the quilt. “This isn’t big enough for both of us.”
“You should have thought of that before you forced me to come along.” Phoebe sipped at the ginger water. The aromatic herb began its ministrations on her middle. “But never you mind. I’ll manage on the floor.”
Except she was cold. She hadn’t been warm aboard the brig except for those moments when Rafe Docherty had wrapped her in his cloak.
She began to search for another coverlet, a blanket, a cloak. A chest beneath the bunk proved to be locked, but the window seat lifted to reveal a second boat cloak of fine black wool. She wrapped it around herself, inhaling the sweetness of the chest’s cedar lining.
“You shouldn’t be going through his things,” Belinda muttered into her pillow.
Phoebe curled her upper
“Lucky dog,” Phoebe muttered.
At that moment, with Docherty’s kindness still radiating around her, slipping out of the stern windows and swimming ashore sounded like a fine idea and the only way to make up for her horrendous behavior. Unless scrubbing decks or cooking meals for the crew would serve better.
Or staying aboard to tend to Belinda, regardless of the fact it made her a traitor to her country.
God, what would You have me do?
More shame burned through her. She’d acted without praying, had taken the human way to obtain their freedom. Not the first time she’d done something so foolish. This time, the results weren’t half as bad—yet.
Maybe she could simply slither under the table until he departed. Better yet, ask to spend the voyage in the hold unless Bel needed her so she didn’t have to look at him.
Outrage, anguish, a hint of despair clawed at her belly. Phoebe drew her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them.
In front of her, a hand on the lad’s shoulder, Docherty spun him to the door. “Scoot.”
“Aye, Captain.” Mel trudged from the cabin.
Docherty turned back to Phoebe and held out his hand. “The key.”
“It’s still in the lock.” Fatigue washed over and through Phoebe. Speaking seemed like too much of an effort. She put her head down on her knees and closed her eyes. “Just let me get wherever you want me below and let me sleep.”
“I’ll let you sleep here.” The lock to the weapons snicked closed.
“You forgot the dagger,” Belinda said.
“Aye, so I did.” He returned to Phoebe’s side of the cabin, taking up the open space, filling it with his scent, with his heat.
Phoebe tightened her arms around her knees.
“The storm is abating.” Docherty spoke right above her. “You should rest easy now, but there’s more of the ginger water on the desk, should you be needing it.”
Phoebe managed a muttered, “Thank you.”
For what felt like forever, he didn’t move away, then suddenly, the cabin felt larger, colder, and the door latch clicked. The lock grated.
“God is certainly smiling on you tonight.” Belinda joined Phoebe on the window seat. “The captain could have stopped you in a moment.”
Phoebe nodded. Of course he could have. He’d been toying with her, letting her think she controlled the moment. Of course she hadn’t. She couldn’t have hurt him. Not once had he been in real danger from her, and he knew it. All she’d done was make a fool of herself.
And she was completely in his control, locked in like a prisoner, sequestered with Belinda. Phoebe was at her beck and call too. Nothing forced Phoebe to do her sister-in-law’s bidding. Experience told Phoebe that giving in turned out easier than living with the consequences of refusal.
Oh, she was going to need that ginger water. Though the waves no longer felt like the brig sailed through the peaks and valleys of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the cabin door remained firmly in place, and her stomach began to flip and churn again.
She rose and took the tankard from the desk. “Go to bed, Belinda. You need your rest.”
“I am tired.” Belinda stumbled to the bunk and slipped beneath the quilt. “This isn’t big enough for both of us.”
“You should have thought of that before you forced me to come along.” Phoebe sipped at the ginger water. The aromatic herb began its ministrations on her middle. “But never you mind. I’ll manage on the floor.”
Except she was cold. She hadn’t been warm aboard the brig except for those moments when Rafe Docherty had wrapped her in his cloak.
She began to search for another coverlet, a blanket, a cloak. A chest beneath the bunk proved to be locked, but the window seat lifted to reveal a second boat cloak of fine black wool. She wrapped it around herself, inhaling the sweetness of the chest’s cedar lining.
“You shouldn’t be going through his things,” Belinda muttered into her pillow.
Phoebe curled her upper
Similar Books
